Tooth brush



Aug. 15, 1939 DADlAN 2,169,581

TOOTH BRUSH Filed Oct. 19, 1937 Patented Aug. 15, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application October 19, 1937, Serial No. 169,847 In Belgium November 21, 1936 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a tooth brush permitting an efficient cleaning of the teeth and the interstices, resulting from the rotary movement of the bristle tufts produced by a reciprocating movement of the brush itself.

This effect is secured without any difficulty in the construction and without the use of mechanical driving means, such as used with known rotary tooth brushes.

The invention has for its object tosecure a rotary or at least a swinging movement of a tooth brush, while moving the handle alternately in. all directions.

The tooth brush according to the invention is constituted with a brush element, the tufts of which are directed at an angle with respect to the handle, and said tufted element is adapted to rotate about an axis at right angles to the handle. The rotary brush is mounted on a pivot mounted at the end of the handle, at right angles thereto.

According to a preferred form of embodiment, the brush element has a circular shape and the periphery of the supporting body of the tufts projects beyond the edges of the handle, said periphery being provided with ribs, projections or the like, capable of facilitating the rolling of this periphery against the gums, the inside of the jaws and the palate.

By the fact that the brush is generally in contact with the gums by its edge and by the contact of the teeth with a series of peripheral bristles or tufts, it is clear that the reciprocating movement in all directions, imparted to the handle for cleaning the teeth, may be easily transformed into a rolling or swinging motion about the pivot of the brush element, so that thereby a perfect cleaning is secured in all directions.

For facilitating the rotation of the brush, rolling elements will be inserted between a pivotal support and the socket of the handle in which this pivotal support is mounted.

The invention will be described hereafter with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which certain forms of embodiment have been illustrated.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the tooth brush;

Fig. 2 is an elevation on larger scale of the tooth brush element at the end of the handle;

Fig. 3 is an axial section through the mounting of the brush;

Fig. 4 is a section through another pivot mounting.

The tooth brush shown in Fig. 1 comprises a handle I, the end of which supporting the brush is slightly curved. At the end of the handle is mounted a circular brush 2, the axis of which is at right angles to the end of the handle I, and the said brush element 2 is mounted upon a supporting pivot IT. This mounting is such that the tufts of the brush are directed towards one side and at right angles to the axis of the handle I, the brush element being adapted to rotate around its pivot l1, under the effect of an outer driving force, for instance the friction against the gums or the teeth.

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate particularly the form and mounting of the brush element. The brush has a supporting disc 4, which is frictionally held' on a rotatable support. The periphery of the disc 4 is rounded at the edge and provided with ribs or grooves, useful for facilitating the rotation of the brush by friction against the gums or other parts of the mouth. The ends of the bristle tufts constitute a plane surface 6 in the center of the brush and are chamfered in the direction of the periphery of the disc. The inclination 8 of the surface of the tufts 'l is provided for the purpose of securing a convenient contact of the tufts with the teeth when the tooth brush is inclined, thus perfectly producing the rotary motion of the brush about its pivot mounting, under the reciprocating displacement of the brush along the teeth, and this rotary motion imparts an epicyclic movement to each of the bristles.

With reference to Fig. 3, the mounting for the brush element comprises a central pivot I'I rigidly mounted in the socket of the handle I, by means of an integral washer l8, at the end of this pivot I1. Upon this spindle I1 is arranged a slightly conical cap I9, the inner bottom wall having a conical face for the reception of a ball 20 forming thrust-ball element between the cap and the pivot IT. The cap I9 is rotatably held upon, the pivot by means of a cotter 2|, of circular section, which is sidewardly engaged in a groove of convenient section provided on the inner wall of the cap, on the one hand, and in an annular groove of the spindle H, on the other hand. Obviously, these elements will be made of stainless metal.

The mounting shown in. Fig. 8 is similar to that of Fig. 7, but the cap [9 is held upon the pivot H, by means of a small plate 23, engaged in a cut through the wall of the cap l9 and penetrating into an annular groove 22, so as to permit rotation of the cap with respect to the spindle.

Obviously, these forms of rotary mounting may be used for any type of rotary brushes.

I claim:

1. A rotary tooth brush comprising a. handle having a socket at one end, a rigid spindle mounted in said socket substantially at right 7 on said cap, the periphery of the disc projecting beyond the edges of the handle, said periphery having radially extending projections for contacting the lips of the user to rotate the brush.

2. A rotary tooth brush comprising a handle having a socket at one end, a rigid spindle mounted in said socket substantially at right angles to the handle, a cylindrical cap having a slightly tapered exterior engaging the spindle, a thrustball between the cap and the end of the spindle, means to restrain relative axial movement of said cap and said spindle, a brush element formed with a disc supporting the bristles and frictionally held on said cap, the periphery of the disc projecting beyond the edges of the handle, said periphery having radially extending projections for contacting the lips of the user to rotate the brush.

3. A rotary tooth brush comprising a handle having a socket at one end, a rigid spindle mounted in said socket substantially at right angles to the handle, a cylindrical cap having a slightly tapered exterior engaging the spindle, a thrustball between the cap and the end of the spindle, a cotter pin engaging the wall of the cap and an annular groove on the spindle, a brush element formed with a disc supporting the bristles and frictionally held on said cap, the periphery of the disc projecting beyond the edges of the handle, said periphery having radially extending projections for contacting the lips of the user to rotate the brush.

MEGUERDITCH DADIAN. 

